My Sterile Room
by RikkiTikki
Summary: Nathan and Haley have their lives turned upside down in a hospital room.
1. Not Normal

I sat on a steel cot looking straight ahead of me. White ceiling, white walls, white floors, Brooke would say she needed to make it over. But she wasn't here. Only Nathan was here with me, but he wasn't in my room. My hands started to shake because I knew this wasn't normal. The door slowly creaked open and there my husband stood with his I-have-to-pretend-everything-is-ok half grin.  
"Hey babe. What's news?" I asked him hopefully.  
"Well they need to take you for some more tests, but you'll be fine, it's just procedure."  
"What did they find?" I asked him and his half grin fell to non-existence.  
"Nothing, sweetie. It's just a routine checkup."  
"This isn't routine, Nate."  
"I know."  
"So tell me what they found." Silence. "Please Nathan. I'm going to find out soon anyway. Please just be the one to tell me."  
"They found a lump." Silence. "It's nothing too serious, they don't think, but they need to make sure."  
"Hence the tests." I said as a tear slid down my cheek.  
"Yeah. Hales, don't cry. I'm sure it's nothing. They'll run some tests, we'll go out to a movie, they'll call in a few days to say nothing's wrong and we'll celebrate." He said, climbing onto the uncomfortable cot with me.  
"Okay. Okay, it'll be ok."  
"Okay."  
"Can we not tell our friends?"  
"We don't have to do anything you won't want to." He said, kissing my forehead.


	2. Two Please For A Plate Of Nerves

"So she'll call us tomorrow?" I asked Nathan for the third time as we stood in line waiting to buy our movie tickets.

"That's what she said." He told me, less reassuring than the first two times but I shake it off knowing he's getting impatient.

"Okay good. Okay, I'll be okay." I said, more to myself than anything but still wanting him to say something, just to prove he agreed.

"You'll be great." He knows me so well.

"What movie are we going to see?" I asked him.

"She's the Man? It looks like the only thing that's remotely interesting." He told me.

"Okay. Okay good. Comedy is good for days like today." I said, again to myself, again awaiting a reply.

"It is." He reads me like a book.

"What number?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked, looking at me quizzically.

"What number did you give her? Will she be calling the apartment? Because I have to go to work tomorrow. I won't be there all day. Did you give her the number for the café? Because that might have been a good idea. What about my cell? Did you give her my cell number? Oh, and your cell number. Did you give her that one too?" I rambled on nervously.

"All of those and the one for the garage." He reassured me, squeezing my hand lightly.

"Okay, okay good. It won't be bad news right? I mean, it won't be bad? I'm not sick right?" I rambled again.

"Haley, you're making me nervous. Stop it." He told me, half smiling, half serious.

"You're right. I'm sorry." I said, looking at my feet. "Can we get candy too?"

"What the hell are you talking about now?" He laughed. "Jesus Christ, stick with one topic." He said kissing the tip of my nose as my face reddened.

"For the movie. Can we get candy too. Not just popcorn. I'm in the mood for something sweet." I told him.

"I'll give you something sweet" He said kissing my lips lightly then backing away.

"Hey, I'm not finished with you yet." I faked a frown then put my arms around his neck and pulled him close to me. When our lips met I tightened my grip around his head, partly because I had every intention of deepening the kiss, but mostly because of my nerves. No matter how many times we'd say I'd be alright, I would ramble and be nervous until when I got the call tomorrow. He didn't protest. He wrapped his arms around my lower back and pulled my body close up against his and even after we stopped kissing he held me against his chest. It's like he saw right through me and knew exactly what I needed.

"Can I help you?" The lady behind the glass asked us.

"Yes. Two tickets for She's the Man, please." He told her.

"That'll be 16.85 please." She responded, passing our tickets under the small half-circle hole. "Thank you, there's your change. Enjoy your movie." She said, passing him back his change for his twenty.

"Thanks." We said in unison and walked to the usher.

"She's the Man, room 5, right over there to your left." He said directing us to the room where we'd see our movie.

"Thank you." I said as he ripped my ticket. "Now, you go get junk food and I'm going to the bathroom." I told my husband of 3 years.

"Deal." He said just about to turn away.

"Hey!" I called to him before he got too far.

"Kiss?" He asked.

"Yes, please." I smiled up to him then puckered my lips.

"God you're cute." He said before turning around and walking to the counter.

I walked the familiar walk to the girls' washroom and pushed open the door. It was empty. I went to the sink and splashed water in my face then stared at my reflection in the mirror. A tear slowly fell out of the corner of my eye and slid down my cheek where it could be confused with water. Then after it came another one. Soon I was crying tears the size of jellybeans and I wasn't making any effort to stop them. After what felt like ages they came to an end. Either I felt emotionally satisfied or my body couldn't make any more tears, the reason for their ending I couldn't be sure. I just knew that it wouldn't be the last time I cried like that. Whether it was for sadness or relief I didn't know. But I knew that they would come, and when they did, Nate would catch them before they made a mess.


End file.
